Aoun says negotiation remains the only solution
President Joseph Aoun affirmed Tuesday that Lebanon welcomes the support offered by French President Emmanuel Macron to "help it confront the ongoing Israeli escalation against Lebanese territory and to reach a ceasefire and begin negotiations based on the negotiating initiative announced a few days ago."
This came during his meeting with the French Minister Delegate to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, Alice Rufo.
Aoun stressed that "war will not lead to any practical result, but will only increase the suffering of the Lebanese people, while negotiation remains the only solution capable of restoring security and stability to the region."
He noted that "Israel continues to refuse to respond to Lebanese, Arab, and international calls to stop its war on Lebanon and begin negotiations that guarantee its sovereignty over all its territory, particularly in the south up to the international border, and enable the Lebanese Wrmy to redeploy and extend the authority of the state with its legitimate military forces."
He also welcomed the desire expressed by European and non-European countries to maintain a military presence in southern Lebanon after the UNIFIL withdrawal is completed by the end of 2027.
For her part, Rufo conveyed to Aoun the greetings of Macron and his reaffirmation of support for Lebanon during these difficult times, as well as his support for the president's declared positions, especially the negotiation initiative and the decisions of the Lebanese government.
Source: Naharnet
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